Just For Today – July 10: A Positive Attitude

“That old nest of negativism followed me everywhere I went.”
—Basic Text, page 135

Embracing a New Attitude

A negative attitude is often the hallmark of active addiction. During those dark times, we frequently blamed others for our problems, developing a fine-tuned ability to shift responsibility away from ourselves. In recovery, one of our primary goals is to develop a new, positive attitude. We soon discover that life becomes much more manageable when we replace our negative thinking with positive principles.

Overcoming Negativity in Recovery

While a negative attitude may have been pervasive during our active addiction, it can still linger even as we step into the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous. How can we begin to adjust our attitudes? By changing our actions. It’s not an easy task, but it is achievable.

Steps to a Positive Attitude

We can start by paying attention to how we talk. Before speaking, we should ask ourselves some simple questions:

• Does what I’m going to say address the problem or the solution?
• Is my statement framed kindly?
• Is what I have to say important, or would it be better left unsaid?
• Am I speaking just to hear my own voice, or is there a purpose to my words?

Our attitudes are reflected in our actions. Often, it’s not just what we say, but how we say it, that truly matters. As we learn to communicate more positively, we will notice an improvement in our attitudes as well.

Just for today: I want to be free of negativity. Today, I will speak and act positively.